Microsoft to kill Outlook.com linked accounts; aliases are the new cool

Today Microsoft announced that they would be killing the option for users to link multiple email accounts together in Outlook. As a replacement to linked accounts, the company will be promoting their alias system – “a more robust and secure way of managing multiple email address.”

Microsoft states that the change is being made in an attempt to unify a consumer’s digital identity. As of now, your account can be a connection to your Windows machines, Xbox, Office, and more. The new system will tie together multiple email addresses without the need to manage separate accounts.

The system is also being touted as more secure. With linked accounts, one person can easily switch between email addresses without the need of a password – good for you, bad for those who are trying to do you harm.

To smooth the transition between linked accounts and new aliases, Microsoft has added Mail Forwarding and “Send email from another account”. If you currently have a linked account, just sit back – the company will be sending out an email in the next few days with instructions.